A Cool House For a Dog
(10 photo)

For most dogs, a kennel is made out of a few planks of wood and some rusty nails. But Wellington, a two-year-old St Bernard, is living it up in his very own brick-built house with carpets, working lights and insulated walls. It even has a gravel drive complete with patio stepping stones and ceramic statues.

Owner Julian Kite, 37, spent a 84 hours creating the 6.5ft tall, one third replica of his own three-bedroom detached house in Swadlincote, Derbyshire.
He transformed half of his back garden to accommodate Wellington's kennel, which also boasts glossed skirting boards and a slate roof.

All the hard work paid off when Mr Kite was awarded a £1,000 prize in a national competition to find Britain's grandest dog home.
He said: 'Designing and building Wellington's house has been a hobby, so being rewarded in such a way is truly brilliant.

'It's just the beginning though, by the time I've finished with his kennel I'll probably want to live in there myself.'
Mr Kite started a business making luxury built-to-order kennels after he was made redundant from the construction industry several years ago.
He had been in the building trade since his teens and decided to turn his hand to making replicas of people's homes after he was laid off.

He said that his experience allows him to build the bespoke kennels to a high standard.
He said: 'It's exactly the same as a traditional house, the masonry, the foundations, a traditional cut roof, it's got electrics and external lights.
'I made one for my own dogs, then friends started asking about them and I decided to do some more.
'I've done about 30 or 40 so far and things just keep picking up.'

The kennel Mr Kite built for Wellington cost about £1,850 and was completed in the space of four and a half days.
The Pet Pad of the Year contest, organised by insurance firm More Than, was judged by TV vet Marc Abrahams and TV presenter Dawn O'Porter.
Dawn O'Porter said: 'I love the idea of Wellington having his very own property and land to roam. It's so grand and ridiculous that it's pure genius.'